We want to thank Melinda Carter, a recent graduate for making a guest appearance on our blog!

As winter break approaches on most
campuses, many freshmen are just now getting acclimated to the
financial rigors that can come along with the first semester away
from home. Money is often an issue in college, with student loans and
not much money putting a limit on overall spending. Luckily, tons of
first time students have waivered the waters of money problems in
college by taking advantage of money saving tactics.

One of the first areas to key in on
saving is housing. This could start when looking for sophomore
housing arrangements during your second semester of school. Luckily,
there are some great resources that promote affordable and quality
student living are continuing to grow. For example, in the Western
New York area, Roc Rooms is a great
source for local students looking to find Rochester
apartments that have good locations, prices and quality living
spaces.

Many students adapt to saving money buy
eating small meals such as ramen and macaroni and cheese that can be
bought in bulk. Saving money on food can be done without having to
eat snack type meals such as those previously mentioned. At the
grocery store, you can sign up for programs which give discounts and
points for frequent shoppers. Also, the natural route of coupons is a
big assist to students looking to get a bang for their buck.

Another thing to remember as a student
is to simply take advantage of being in school. Many restaurants and
stores near universities often hand out discounts when a student id
is shown. Most movie theaters also have discounted rates of a dollar
or two for students as cinema tickets continue to drive up prices.

Staying away from a credit card is
usually a pretty solid suggestion. While it’s hard not to use
credit during college years with the difficulty of financial
requirements, building debt up is unacceptable. Having one credit
card to build up your score during college is probably okay, however
you should look to avoid carrying more than one could be dangerous.
Stay on top of your finances by making a budget complete with
spending allowance and expenses, which will help keep you on top of
your finances.

Certainly there are other ways students
can save
money during college, but acclimating to a few suggestions can
definitely help the process for freshmen. In the end, saving money on
items such as groceries and choosing to stay away from multiple
credit cards can not only allow for less stress right now, but it can
also keep away future burdens such as credit card debt.